The Undercroft Gauntlet

Chapter 9: The Triwizard Ceremony

"Tal!" Ominis hissed, "where is Sebastian?"

Crowds of Hogwarts students started to shuffle into the Great Hall, taking their seats at their house tables. Still, none paid heed to the giant, floating spectral dog that continued to grip Talen's attention. The black bubbles it was composed of sparked with the blue light of the Goblet of Fire. While it was silent, the dog snarled and stared down at the student body right above Talen. However, its eye sockets were empty and the subject of its glare was lost to Talen.

"Talen!" Ominis repeated, notably more desperate. "Is Sebastian here?"

Talen looked to Ominis, who had sunk low to the table, but he still couldn't find his voice. He felt cold. The teeth of the dog were barred, and he couldn't pull his eyes away. He could feel a pair of eyes from someone in the room staring at him, and the air suddenly felt thin―

"You're starting to scare me," Ominis said. He felt around the tabletop until he found Talen's arm and gripped his elbow. 

As Talen felt Ominis' touch, the dog began to dissipate. One by one, the micro-bubbles slowly floated back to the air above the goblet and formed into a column. The air warmed and Talen's voice returned to his throat.

Exhaling slowly ― his breath quivering as it left his lips ― Talen placed his hand atop of Ominis.' "Sorry, I― uh―" Talen started, but he felt his stomach sink and his lungs burn. He couldn't finish his thought.

"What is going on?" Ominis whispered. "Why do you feel so anxious?"

It was only then that Talen noticed his leg was bouncing wildly underneath the table. "I made a mistake," Talen whispered, just loud enough for Ominis alone to hear. "I should have put my name into the Goblet of Fire."

Ominis froze and his face lost all color. "What?" He asked, exasperated. "You didn't put your name into consideration?"

Talen swallowed and shook his head, "I did not."

"Why?" Ominis asked pointedly.

"I really don't know," Talen said. "I was going to. The parchment with my name is still in my pocket. It's just that when I put my hand into the fire, I froze and― got dizzy. I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I don't really know why."

Ominis bit his lip and retracted his hands, interlocking his fingers in front of him. He opened his mouth to speak, but he stayed silent.

"I really should have," Talen continued, massaging his scalp. "Just now, there was― something from the goblet― I saw something, Ominis. A warning from the ancient magic. I'm not sure."

"What kind of warning?" 

"I don't want to get into it here," Talen said, looking at Elias.

Ominis leaned back, his face pointed at the ceiling. "Fine. That's not a lot to go on, and you've only worried me more, but we'll talk about it later if you think it's necessary."

"I do, and I think that'd be―"

"Is Sebastian here?" Ominis interrupted in a hiss. 

Sebastian― Talen had somehow forgotten in the last few moments. He turned to look―

Sebastian Sallow was glaring directly at Talen. His face was pointed; his lips were curled. A cold fire flared from his narrowed eyes, and his nostrils flared. His jaw ― sharp and cutting like his sallow cheeks ― was clenched and grating.

Talen could only withstand the interlocked gaze for a few seconds before turning back to Ominis. "He's here, yes," Talen explained solemnly. "At the end of the hall, behind Durmstrang."